Meet Your Mentor Guided Visualization

Best in headphones or earbuds; perfect for daily relaxation, or to ease you gently into sleep. Release cares and concerns as you are guided on a peaceful journey to meet your Mentor, from whom you may receive guidance and wisdom. Calming music and a lush natural soundscape enfold you as you experience a new environment taking form through the magic of your imagination.

Music provided by Leigh Robinson/NaturesEye from Pixabay.

Transcript

Welcome to this guided visualization.

Please do not listen to this recording while driving or while performing any activity which requires your full attention,

Such as juggling ripe tomatoes.

So please set those tomatoes back on the counter and settle on in to any position that feels best to you in stillness and comfort now.

You are invited to close your eyes and to distance yourself from any distractions.

Should you fall asleep while listening,

That's perfectly fine.

You may have been guided to this time out of time and place out of place to receive a message for or from your soul.

There might be a question or a concern in your heart.

Perhaps on this journey you will find the insight or guidance that you seek.

Maybe you're unaware of any question within your mind right now.

Perhaps one will happen to present itself to you on this journey.

What's meant for you will find you with grace and ease.

Or maybe you're feeling free from questions and concerns and just need some time and space for yourself.

Whatever brought you here,

You are most welcome.

As you pause for a moment,

Getting your bearings in this liminal space between arrival and departure,

Between external and internal,

You may still feel your outer life with its cares and concerns close to you.

You might wish you could step away from your outer life for a little while,

And you can do that now.

You are invited to take a deep breath,

And as you release it,

Feel free to set down anything you are carrying.

Your thoughts and concerns are safe on this threshold,

And just like those tomatoes,

They'll be here for you to notice when you return.

If you choose to pick them up again at that time,

You may find them to be much lighter.

After setting those aside,

You turn around and,

In your mind's eye,

Invoking the magic of your imagination,

You see a new environment taking form.

Before you are five wide stone steps leading down to an earthen path.

The path stretches onward,

Deep into a beautiful forest.

You notice that the forest is not just in front of you,

But that it surrounds you.

The trees are evergreens,

Pines,

Spruces,

Firs,

And they seem,

They feel old,

Even ancient,

And they tower above you,

So tall that you cannot see their tops through the soft needles of their lowermost branches.

You notice stout oaks amongst the pines.

Their trunks are thick and strong.

The oak leaves are a rich,

Glossy green,

And they are abundant.

Tiny acorns are just beginning to form at the tips of the oak's branches.

And now,

As you sense a transition and begin this journey,

You understand that you can leave thoughts of your outer world behind,

Safe beneath the canopy of these ancient trees.

And you may notice that you are becoming deeply relaxed as you consider descending the stone steps,

And every time you hear me say,

Relax,

You may feel a peaceful smile gently lifting the corners of your lips.

You move forward now,

Slowly,

Intentionally.

There is no need to rush.

And as you look down,

You see that you are on the top step.

You move down to the next step.

Glancing down at your feet now,

You may be surprised to see that they are bare,

And noticing that brings you deeper relaxation,

And you smile.

And as you move forward and downward now,

First one foot,

And then the other,

You can feel the cool stone surface of the next step.

You inhale slowly as you move down to the next step,

And as you place your feet together on the final step,

You exhale,

And you may now be sensing deep relaxation.

And you move forward,

Taking one last step downward onto the earthen path,

Leaving the stone steps behind you.

There is a stillness,

A peacefulness in this forest.

You may be curious to see where the path will lead,

And as you continue on this journey,

With each step,

You are becoming more aware of your surroundings.

You hear a gentle sighing breeze rustling the oak leaves.

The sweet songs of birds nestled in the tall trees float liltingly in the fresh air.

In the distance,

The trickle of a small stream tickles your ears.

The scent of pine is heavy on the gentle breeze,

And you inhale deeply with gratitude.

As you exhale,

You feel a sense of release.

Sunbeams filter through the oak leaves and pine needles,

And as the rays fall upon you,

The top of your head begins to feel warm.

You welcome this sensation.

The muscles of your forehead relax and broaden.

Your eyes soften,

And now your jaw relaxes.

This warmth flows slowly down through your neck to your shoulders.

You feel the gradual release of tension in your muscles.

Knots untangling,

Tightness unraveling,

Tension slipping away.

As you walk along this peaceful woodland path,

You feel the soft,

Sun-warmed earth beneath your bare feet.

Your toes dip into and gently grip the rich,

Dark soil with each step,

And now release it as you continue onward,

One footstep after another,

Moment by passing moment.

You become aware of movement high above the trees.

A graceful,

Dark shape circles overhead,

Then spirals slowly down.

It is a raven,

And you notice that she carries a small bundle in her black beak.

She flaps her wings and alights silently on a pine bough,

Cocking her head first to one side and then the other.

She blinks her eyes as she peers down at you.

Are you the one to whom I have been sent,

She seems to ask,

And you feel a similar question welling up within you.

Is it me you have come to meet?

With a shake of her feathers,

She takes flight once more,

Effortlessly gliding down to land on the path that lies before you.

She sets down the bundle she has been carrying,

Blinks again,

And calls to you.

Then she spreads her wings and rises into flight.

You watch the movements of her lustrous wings as she flies higher and higher,

Farther and farther away,

Growing smaller and smaller,

Until she soars into the distance and disappears from sight.

Stepping closer to the ground upon which she stood,

You see that the small bundle is a folded leaf wrapped with coarse twine.

It is a gift for you from the raven messenger.

Picking it up,

You marvel at the variegated colors of the leaf,

The lacy patterns of its lobes and veins.

You untie the twine,

Unwrap the soft,

Fresh leaf,

And find three small pine seeds within.

Gently refolding the leaf,

You place the messenger's bundle into your pocket.

You walk forward on the earthen path,

Deeper into the forest,

And as you walk,

You become aware of the energy flowing within your body as you feel your feet supporting your calves and your calves supporting your thighs.

And as you move onward,

Your hips begin to sway,

Rocking easily back and forth in perfect balance.

And as this gentle loosening spreads to your lower back and now through your upper back,

Your arms swing freely at your sides and your hands unclench.

You stretch your fingers,

Then relax them.

You breathe deeply as you move onward,

And your chest and belly expand a bit wider with each breath.

The warmth of the sun overhead and that of the earth beneath your feet flows throughout your body.

You feel grace and ease as your entire body comes into centered alignment.

You notice the sound of flowing water becoming more distinct,

And you hear the clear tones of wind chimes as the breeze swells.

As the mild wind stills for a moment,

The chimes cease.

Then they ring again as the breeze returns,

As if the earth around you is breathing in time with your own breath.

Up ahead,

You see a low stone wall with an opening through which you glimpse a beautiful garden.

Rocks of all different sizes appear to have been placed one by one on top of and alongside each other to form this wall.

Soft green moss covers their surfaces and obscures the nooks and crannies where the stones meet one another.

You move closer.

As you step beside the wall,

You extend your hand and you take a moment to gently touch the dry,

Rough surface of the stones and the damp,

Springy texture of the moss.

You notice how their surfaces flow one into the other,

How they exist together,

The rugged rock and the soft moss almost as one in harmony.

You sense that the garden before you is a sacred place.

You take a moment to bow your head,

Feeling a desire to quiet your mind.

You are completely relaxed and now you enter the garden through the opening in the stone wall.

The soft earthen trail of the forest gives way to a path of tiny pebbles.

They are smooth beneath your feet.

You feel them shift slightly beneath your footsteps and you notice how the muscles of your body intuitively compensate for the changes in your balance without you having to consciously consider or control them.

The pebbled path curves gracefully this way and that,

As if it were a river of stones.

On each side of this path are lush,

Verdant plants,

Some large,

Some small,

Their tendrils and leaves curling and trailing into one another,

Connecting with each other.

Brightly colored flowers bloom in spaces below and in between the leaves.

Above,

The canopy of the gently swaying trees filters the light from the bright sun,

Allowing dappled rays to dance upon this peaceful place.

And though this garden might,

At first,

Appear to be growing wild and untamed,

You begin to feel a sense of order and you imagine the caring hands which ensure that each growing plant is carefully tended so that all may thrive.

A curve in the pebbled path brings you to a lovely pond.

Looking across its surface,

You notice crystal clear water burbling from a spring at the opposite edge.

The water flows into the pond,

Continually renewing it.

As the water splashes into the pool,

The sun sparkles upon its droplets and tiny prismatic rainbows dance upon the water's surface.

As you step closer to the pond,

Ripples appear.

They expand and grow wider.

You look down to see a school of circling fish rising close to the surface.

They are curious about you,

A welcome visitor.

Three fish,

Smaller than the others,

Appear unafraid as they swim to the very edge of the water near your feet.

They raise their mouths to the surface,

Opening their lips in tiny perfect circles.

Remembering the messenger's bundle in your pocket,

You take the small packet out and again unfold the leaf's edges.

You choose one pine seed and kneel to offer it to a copper-colored fish.

The small fish accepts your gift.

You carefully pick up a second seed and present it to a fish whose silvery scales shine in the dancing sunlight.

The third fish,

Whose golden color reminds you of burnished brass,

Opens its mouth wide as you offer it the final seed.

With a flick of their fins,

The fish turn and swim away,

Disappearing beneath the surface of the pond.

The ripples created by their movement gradually lessen until they become invisible.

You place the empty leaf upon the surface of the water,

And as you watch,

It slowly drifts away.

Rising and turning back to the pebbled path,

You continue walking,

And you soon arrive at a clearing in the forest.

The pebbled path has led you to a simple,

Unadorned pavilion crafted of ancient,

Hand-hewn wooden beams,

Which rise to support a weathered,

Shingled roof.

You caress the textured grain of the wood,

And you may be feeling amazed that the wood fibers are so tiny,

Almost like threads,

And yet,

When joined together in the beams,

They have the strength to support this structure.

You may consider your muscle fibers and how their individual strands mesh together to give you strength,

And you might be feeling grateful now,

Appreciating the cells of your bones and the way they support your body.

The pavilion is a plain structure,

Merely a platform and a covering,

Open to the surrounding forest,

Yet it is elegant in its simplicity.

It appears to have come into form naturally,

Growing up through the rich soil of this forest over many years,

Along with the trees surrounding it.

You become aware of a subtle shift in energy,

A presence.

You turn slowly and see that it is your mentor come to silently greet you.

You gaze into the gentle,

Peaceful face of the being before you.

The mentor's face is ageless,

Timeless,

First appearing wizened and wrinkled,

Then shimmering and shifting into a youthful countenance,

Yet always with the same kind eyes which meet your gaze.

You try to focus on the features of the mentor,

And perhaps you are amazed as their face continues to shift and shimmer,

And now you realize that you can simply allow your feeling of wonderment,

And you feel safe in the mentor's vibrating presence.

You have a deep sense of recognition,

And you may believe that you have met the mentor before,

But you may not remember when or where,

And as you inhale and exhale,

You release the need of having to recall that memory,

And are simply at ease in this moment.

With outstretched arms,

The mentor welcomes you.

You feel as though the mentor already knows and understands that which you carry in your heart.

The mentor beckons you into the shade of the pavilion.

With a gesture,

The mentor invites you to be seated upon a cushion next to a low table.

On the table,

You see an iron kettle,

A shallow wooden bowl containing dried tea leaves,

And a porcelain vessel.

You sit on the soft cushion,

And as you arrange yourself comfortably,

You notice once again the warm,

Tingling energy generated by your journey as it continues to flow throughout your body,

Even as you sense the coolness of the pavilion's shade upon your skin.

The mentor sits upon a cushion across the table from you.

The mentor's eyes close.

The mentor breathes peacefully close,

And the rhythm of your breath comes into time with that of the mentor.

You and the mentor open your eyes slowly at the same moment.

There is no sense of rushing,

No worry,

No hurry.

You are content to simply be in this present moment.

The mentor lifts the wooden bowl of tea leaves and,

With great intention and precision,

Tips the tiny pieces into the vessel.

Gently placing the empty bowl back upon the table,

The mentor then raises the iron kettle.

Tendrils of steam float upward as the mentor pours hot water over the tea leaves,

Which swirl and spiral in the vessel.

You watch them spin,

Then see them slowly expand and unfurl in the liquid.

An intoxicating fragrance is released.

You inhale deeply,

Then exhale,

Grateful for the calming sensation.

The mentor gestures to three cups on the table.

Each is different.

Each is unique.

You are drawn to one cup,

The color and texture of which seem to call to you.

With a nod to the mentor,

You reach out for your cup and hold it in both hands.

You observe your teacup,

Taking note of its beauty and its imperfections.

Pausing for a moment,

You consider the cup.

What about it speaks to you?

What about the cup reminds you of yourself?

You raise your eyes to meet the mentors.

The mentor smiles.

The mentor raises the vessel and gracefully pours tea into the cup in your hands.

You feel that time has ceased to exist as you sip your tea and taste its pleasing flavor.

You feel the coolness of the shade on your skin,

And you hear the rustling sound of the forest leaves as the breeze passes through them.

The sounds of water and of wind chimes ebb and flow and soon join with the sibilance of the wind to become a murmuring,

Thrumming hum.

The sun's light filters down through the trees,

Its beams growing stronger and then less distinct as fluffy clouds float by high above the treetops.

You continue to sip from your cup.

As you finish your tea,

Your eyes meet the mentors once again.

Holding your teacup in both hands,

You extend your arms toward the mentor,

Who accepts the cup from you.

The mentor bows and then tips your cup over,

Placing it on top of the wooden bowl.

The remaining drops of liquid trickle down into the bowl.

The mentor turns the cup upright once again and holds it out to you.

You receive the cup from the mentor's hands and look down into its depths.

Tea leaves remain in your cup,

Forming a pattern of shapes.

You consider that which you have been carrying in your heart and realize that the shapes in your cup hold meaning for you.

You open your heart to receive insight and guidance.

What images do you see in the leaves?

What message do you discover with immediate intuitive understanding?

Once again,

You return the cup to the mentor,

Who now stands.

You also rise to your feet.

The mentor reaches into a pocket,

Then holds out a closed hand.

You hold your hand beneath the mentor's,

Whose hand now opens and you feel a light weight in your palm.

Looking down into your hand,

You see three small pebbles.

You look into the mentor's eyes and realize that these three stones now hold the energy of the cares and concerns that you set down at the stone steps when this journey began.

The mentor guides you out of the pavilion and back to the pebbled walkway.

The mentor indicates with outstretched hand the pebbled path,

And as you drop the pebbles one by one,

They disappear amongst the other stones of the path,

And you feel a heavy weight lifted from your heart.

You now understand that you can release your cares,

And that all will come to pass exactly as it is meant to take place,

For your highest good.

The mentor bows,

And you return the bow.

As the mentor moves silently back to the pavilion,

You turn and walk back along the curving pebbled path toward the stone wall.

As you reach the stone wall,

You see something shining upon its surface.

You step closer to discover three small coins atop the wall.

One coin is the color of copper,

The second is silver,

The third is gold.

As you pick up the copper disc,

You hear in your mind,

I breathe.

Slipping it into your pocket,

You now grasp the silver coin,

And in your mind you hear,

I am at peace in this moment.

You place the second coin into your pocket,

Where it nestles with the first.

Reaching out for the third,

The golden coin,

You hear your own voice in your mind,

I am present in this moment.

Adding the third coin to your pocket alongside the others,

You know that you will carry them with you,

Always.

As you walk slowly through the opening in the wall,

And step onto the trail which will lead you back through the woods,

Back to your outer life,

You consider the mentor's ageless and timeless countenance,

And their peacefulness.

You understand that the mentor will be waiting for you here,

Whenever you may wish to return.

You know you can now find your way back along the woodland path,

And return to your outer life,

Feeling calm and renewed.

And as you return,

You know that you and the mentor are one.

And you understand that the guidance and comfort you seek are always within you,

Just as the three coins are always available to you,

Reminding you to breathe,

To be at peace,

And to be present in every passing moment,

Moment by moment.

And as you walk along your path,

You reflect upon the gift of the message in the tea leaves,

And you hold positive intentions in your heart.

You know that you are able to release attachment to the outcome of events which will unfold in your life,

And that all is taking place for your highest good.

Take all the time you wish as you travel along the sunlit treeline trail through the forest to the five stone steps.

Once there,

You may choose to transition back into your outer life,

Wiggling your fingers and toes,

And opening your eyes.

Or,

If you wish,

You may choose to remain in the peaceful forest for as long as you like,

Perhaps drifting off into a deep sleep.

Until you meet yourself in this place once again,

May you be blessed.